Portable receptacle and handle therefor



Feb. 6, 1951 G. E. RADCLIFFE 2,540,756

PORTABLE RECEPTACLE AND HANDLE THEREFOR Filed June 22, 1948 INVENTOR.

GEORGE E. RADCL/FFE f; 4'

g wv Z41 Patented Feb. 6, 1951 PORTABLE RECEPTACLE AND HANDLE THEREFOR George E. R-adclifie, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Coca-Cola Ohio, a corporation Bottli ng Works 00., Cincinnati, f Ohio Application June 22, 1948, Serial No. 34,425 4 Claims. (01. 220 94) This invention relates to receptacles for holding bottles, cans, or other containers or the like requiring refrigeration, and more particularly relates to a light weight, readily portable receptacle and to supports for a receptacle.

An object of this invention is to provide a light weight receptacle which can be supported at a convenient level for ready access and which also may be readily portable.

A further object of this invention is to provide a supporting structure for a receptacle of this type which can also serve for carrying the receptacle.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in combination with a receptacle of this type, a device for draining the container which draining device is protected by the construction of the supporting structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide a light weight, readily portable receptacle of this type which is thermally insulated and can carry ice or other cooling material as well as bottles, cans, or other containers for beverages or the like.

The above and other objects may be attained by the means described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing a receptacle and supports constructed in accordance with this invention, the receptacle being shown in raised position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view along a line 22 in Figure l, a support for the receptacle being shown in full lines in position for holding the receptacle in raised position and being shown in dotted lines in position for carrying the receptacle.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along a line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional View along a line 44 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a stud and supporting plate for the stud, which form a part of the device for holding the receptacle in raised position upon the supports.

Briefly, the invention provides a box-shaped receptacles which may have an open topand which may have double walls and light weight thermal insulation between the walls. The inner portion may be water-tight and a drain may extend through both walls and through the insulation. Slidable supports may be mounted on opposite ends of the receptacle, and the supports may be lowered to hold the receptacle at a convenient height or may be raised to form handles for ready carrying thereof. The supportsmay be slidable through sleeves or the like mounted at opposite ends of the receptacle, and the sleeves may be constructed to maintain a portion of the supports below the bottom of the receptacle a all times in order to protect the drain.

Referring now to the drawing and to Figure 1, a receptacle constructed in accordance with this invention is indicated generally at It. The receptacle, as shown, may be elongated and substantially rectangular. The receptacle H) may consist of an inner watertight lining l2 and an outer covering l3 spaced from the inner lining l2 and separated therefrom by thermal insulation I4. The lining l2 and outer covering I 3 may be of sheet metal or the like welded, soldered, or otherwise formed at the corners and having suitable coating of paint, enamel, or the like. The insulation l4 may be of suitable light-weight board type thermal insulation and may include a lower board I 6 and boards H in the walls of the receptacle In. As shown in Figure 2, an upper edge of the outer covering l3 may be bent about the top of the wall boards ll to form a horizontal flange I8 over the wall boards H and a downwardly extending lip I 9 inside the wall boards 11. An upper wall of the inner lining l 2 may be bent outwardly and then inwardly under itself to form a double lip 2| which can rest upon the flange l8. The receptacle II], as shown, may be open at the top. Corner pieces 22 of conventional form may cover the upper corners of the receptacle ID, as shown in Figure 1. The inner lining I2 and outer covering [3 are held together by screws 23, and the corner pieces 22 may be held in place at the upper corners by the screws 23. Each of the screws 2s may be of a selfthreading type and, as shown in Figure 2, may pass through bores in the double lip 2| to bear into the flange l8 and then pass into the wall boards ll. The screws at the corners additionally pass through bores in the corner pieces 22. The inner lining i 2 may be replaceable. If the screws 23 are removed, the inner lining l2 may readily be lifted free for replacement.

An outer side wall it of the receptacle l0 (Figure 1) may have a bottle opener receiver 27, below the bottle opener mounted thereon in the usual manner. The bottle opener 25 may be riveted to a side wall 24 near'the upper edge thereof, and the cap receiver 2'! may be in the form of an open-topped box which may be removably hung on a pair of studs 28 that can project through openings 29 in a rear wall 3| of the cap receiver 2i. The cap receiver 21 may be attached to thereceptacle It by a chain 32 26 and a cap connected to a stud to prevent loss of the receiver 21. One end of the chain 32 may be attached to the cap receiver 21, and the other end of the chain 32 may be 33 firmly attached to the outer wall 24. The studs 28 also are attached to the wall 24.

As already pointed out, the inner lining l2 should be water-tight. Water is permitted to flow from the receptacle l0 through a drain 34. As shown in Figure 2, the drain 34 may include an annular ring 36 which fits through an opening 31 in a lower inner wall 38 of the receptacle It. An annular lip 39 about the ring 36 may hold the ring 36 in the opening 31. The lower inner wall 38 may be depressed about the opening 31 to permit an upper surface of the lip 39 to be flush with the wall 38, and the ring 36 may be soldered or otherwise tightly attached to the wall 38. An annular nipple 49 threaded, welded, or otherwise attached to the ring 36 may extend through the a insulation board It and through a lower" outer wall 4| to permit water to drain from the receptacle l0. 7

The receptacle It may be held in raised position, as shown in Figure 1, by a pair of supports 42. The supports 42 and fittings for the supports 42 are identical for both supports, and only one of the supports 42 and its fittings will be described in detail. I I

Each support 42 may be rectangular in shape and may be formed as a frame from tubular stock of'appropriate size, comprising two vertical legs or uprights 43, an upper horizontal arm or cross member 44, and a lower horizontal arm or cross member 46. receptacle), a vertical sleeve 41 may be located for slidably receiving a vertical'leg 45. Each sleeve 41'may be constructed of sheet material, and, as shown in Figure 4, a flange 43 of each sleeve may be attached to an outer end wall 49 of the receptacle l0, while. an opposite flange 5| of each sleeve 41 may be attached to a side Wall 52 of the receptacle. The sleeves 41 may be attached to the walls 49 and 52 by welding or other suitable means. Between the legs 48 and 5|, the sleeves'may extend outwardly to form loops 53 about the arms 43. The sleeves 41 are located to hold the arms 43 in position against inside rails 54 attached'to the end walls 49 with in the sleeves 41. edges of the sleeves 41 may be substantially flush with the bottom wall 4|. The vertical arms 43 may slide through the sleeves 41. When the receptacle i9 is in lowered position, the supports 42 are in the position shown in dotted linesin Figure 2 with the lower horizontal arms or cross members 46 extending below the lower outer wall 4| and below a lower end 55 of the nipple 43, to protect the nipple from damage. in this position, the upper horizontal members or arms 44 form handles for carrying the receptacle. A ring 55 of sealing material may be placed about the nipple 49 at the bottom wall 4| to prevent moisture from reaching the insulation board it.

The supports 42 may be held in the position shown in Figure 1, and in full lines in Figure 2, by brackets or links 51 having loops encircling the upper horizontal cross members or arms 44 and engaging fixed studs 58, which extend outwardly from the end walls 49. and a stud 58 are shown in Figures 3 and 5. The stud 58 may be attached to and may extend outwardly from a plate 59. As shown in Figure 3, the plate 59 may be attached to the inside of the wall 49 with the stud 53 extending out- At each verticaledge oi the As shown in Figure 2, lower Details of a bracket 51 wardly through the wall 49. The bracket 51 may be in the form of a strip of sheet metal or the like having a central portion or loop 6|, which fits loosely about'one of the horizontal arms 44, and a body portion comprising a pair of downwardly extending arms 62. The arms 62 are off set inwardly of loop 6| and have aligned openings 63 to receive the stud 58. The arms 92 may be held normally on the stud by a retaining pin 64. removably inserted into a transverse bore 65 provided in the stud. The pin 64 may be connected to the end wall 49 by a chain 62 to prevent loss of the pin. As will be understood, the structure above described is duplicated at opposite ends of the receptacle.

The receptacle it may be filled with bottles or cans or other containers or the like, and ice or other cooling means may be distributed inside the receptacle in the usual manner. As the ice melts, water may be removed from the receptacle l9 through the drain 34. When the receptacle is to be moved, the supports 42 may be raised, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. ihe upper horizontal arms 44 then form handles for'carry ing the receptacle it, while the lower horizontal arms 46 act to protect the drain 34 and nipple 49 if the receptacle is placed on the ground or slid over a floor or other surface. For use, the receptacle It may be raised to the position shown in Figure 1, and the arms 62 of the brackets 51 may be swung over the studs 58 and held in place by the pins 64, so that the supports 42 form legs for holding the receptacle at a convenient height.

The rails 54 hold the vertical arms 43 away from the end walls 49 preventing abrasion of the end walls 49. At the perimeter of the receptacle, the supports may desirably bear against the corner pieces 22, where the receptacle is amply reinforced.

The receptacle l0 and supports 42 may be of light weight for easy portability. None of the parts need be of heavy stock. The shape and construction of the receptacle l9 and supports 42 may be altered in various ways which will be apparent, and the invention is not intended to be limited by the foregoing detailed description and the drawing except as set out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable bottle cooler comprising a receptacle substantially rectangular in horizontal section and having on each of two opposite walls thereof a rectangular frame comprising spaced uprights and substantially horizontal cross members attached to the upper and lower ends of said uprights, sleeve members secured to said receptacle and disposed to embrace said uprights, the lower ends of said sleeves being substantially flush with the bottom of the receptacle, each of the walls on which a frame is mounted having a support element extending outwardly therefrom and each of said upper cross members having a support link rotatably mounted thereon and pro vided with an aperture adjacent the free end thereof adapted to receive the support element in its adjacent wall, said support elements being in such a location with reference to the length of said uprights and the bottom wall of said receptacle that when the end frames are adjusted to a position where the apertures in said links and said support elements are in register the receptacle is supported on the bottom cross members, and when said links are disconnected from said support elements, the receptacle may be lowered until said sleeves rest on said lower cross members and the upper cross members are in a location above said receptacle to serve as handles whereby the receptacle may be carried about.

2. A iportable bottle cooler comprising a receptacle substantially rectangular in horizontal section and having on each of two opposite walls thereof a rectangular frame comprising spaced uprights and substantially horizontal cross members attached to the upper and lower ends of said uprights, said uprights being of equal length and substantially longer than the depth of said receptacle, the respective uprights being located adjacent the respective corners of said receptacle, sleeve members secured to said receptacle and disposed to embrace said uprights, the lower ends of said sleeves being substantially flush with the bottom of the receptacle, said sleeves being provided with flanges which abut the side and end walls at the respective corners and being secured-51:0 said walls, each of the walls on which a, frame is mounted having a support element extending outwardly therefrom and each of said upper cross members having a support link rotatably mounted thereon and provided with an aperture adjacent the free end thereof adapted to receive the support element in its adjacent wall, said support elements being in such a location with. reference to the length of said uprights and the bottom wall of said receptacle that when the end frames are adjusted to a position where the apertures in said links and said support elements are in register the receptacle is supported on the bottom cross members, and when said ing in such a location with reference to the length of said uprights and the bottom wall of said receptacle that when the end frames are adjusted to a position where the apertures in said links and said support elements are in register the receptacle is supported on the bottom cross members, and when said links are disconnected from said support elements, the receptacle may be lowered until said sleeves rest on said lower cross members and the upper cross members are in a location above said receptacle to serve as handles whereby the receptacle may be carried about.

4. A portable bottle cooler comprising a receptacle substantially rectangular in horizontal section and having on each of two opposite walls thereof a rectangular frame comprising spaced uprights and substantially horizontal cross members attached to the upper and lower ends of said uprights, sleeve members secured to said receptacle and disposed to embrace said uprights, the

lower ends of said sleeves being substantially the walls on which a links are disconnected from said support elements, the receptacle may be lowered until said sleeves rest on said lower ,cross members and the upper cross members are in a location above said receptacle to serve as ceptacle may be carried about.

3. A portable bottle cooler comprising a recephandles whereby the re- 7 tacle substantially rectangular in horizontal sec- 1 tion and having on each of two opposite walls thereof a rectangular frame comprising spaced uprights and substantially horizontal cross members attached to the upper and lower ends of said uprights, the rectangular frames being mounted on the end walls of the receptacle, the uprights and cross members thereof being tubular,isleeve members secured to said receptacle and disposed to embrace said uprights, the lower ends of said sleeves being substantially flush with the bottom of the receptacle, each of the walls on which a, frame is mounted having a support element extending outwardly therefrom and each of said upper cross members having a support link rotatably mounted thereon and provided with an aperture adjacent the free end thereof adapted to receive the support element iniits adjacent wall, said support elements beflush with the bottom of the receptacle, each of frame is mounted having a support element extending outwardly there from and each of said upper cross members having a support link rotatably mounted thereon and provided with an aperture adjacent the free end thereof adapted to receive the support element in its adjacent wall, each support link beloop embracing its associated cross-member, the body portion of the link being ofiset inwardly and adapted to lie flush against the adjacent receptacle wall when in receptacle supporting position, said support elements being in such a location with reference to the length of said uprights and the bottom wall of said receptacle that when the end frames are adjusted to a, position where theapertures in said links and said support elements are in register the receptacle is supported on the bottom cross members, and when said links are disconnected from said support elements, the receptacle may be lowered until said sleeves rest on said lower cross members and the upper cross members are in a location above said receptacle to serve as handles whereby the receptacle may be carried about.

GEORGE E. RADCLIFFE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,009,691 Raughtigan Nov. 21, 1.911 1,705,756 Frick Mar. 19, 1929 1,801,055 Roos Apr. 14, 1931 

